Navy Faces Big Budget Day

Navy Faces Big Budget Day

By Greg Grant Monday, February 1st, 2010 11:24 am
Posted in Naval, Policy

Today is federal budget day. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs chair and Adm. Mike Mullen will rollout DoD’s 2011 budget request this afternoon at the Pentagon followed by separate briefs from each of the services. We’ll be providing updates throughout the day.

One area we’ll be closely looking at is the Navy’s shipbuilding budget. Particularly in light of recent statements from Eric Labs, head naval forces analyst at the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. A couple of weeks back, Labs told the seapower subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee that there is no way the Navy can reach its aspirational 313 ship fleet, at least not under current budget projections.

To build a 313-ship fleet would cost around $800 billion over 30 years, or almost $27 billion a year. Over the past decade, the Navy’s annual shipbuilding budget has averaged between $13–15 billion a year. Last year, the Navy got $15 billion for ship construction. Labs said that $15 billion a year just won’t buy enough ships; under that funding profile he projects the fleet will fall to about 270 ships by 2025.


Labs took a look at the Navy’s draft 2011 shipbuilding plan that increased the aspirational fleet from 313 ships to 324 ships. Problem is, the production schedule in that plan buys only 222 ships, far too few. In fact, under the 2011 draft plan, the fleet would fall to 237 ships by 2040, Labs said.

Lots of questions surrounding the Navy’s long range shipbuilding plan. We’ll try to get a few answers today.

DoD Buzz will cover all the budget briefs and the QDR briefing today. Watch us for minute by minute updates.

Join the Conversation

BOOMER February 1st, 2010 at 12:45 pm

The NAVY does need some newer ships, but at the same time they need to stop scrapping and giving away ships still in good operational condition or that could be converted for other uses (i.e. carrier Kitty Hawk converted to Amphibious Assault “helo carrier”). The new carriers they want need to be capable of stand alone missions and should be along the same lines as the Russian Kiev class were with heavy armamnet for shore attacks along with anti submarine, ship, and aircraft capability. Faster and smaller craft to support littoral ops under 150 foot, armed with torpedos — cruise missles — anti aircraft — and heavy deck gun(s) and medium deck guns as well (20 to 30mm). smaller Conventional powered submarines that can operate in shallow waters and support SPECOPS is also much needed to prevent these guys from having to travel so far to deploy.

Jason February 1st, 2010 at 9:08 pm

Just an update. The 2011 budget calls for $25 Billion.…

Jason February 1st, 2010 at 9:08 pm

Sorry, for the Navy shipbuilding.

Byron Skinner February 1st, 2010 at 5:45 pm

Good Afternoon Folks,

Here we go again the numbers game. The fact that a single DD51’s could sink all the battleship of WW II without ever being seen doesn’t count. Today modern combat ships are combat multipliers and an individual ship capacity counts more then numbers.

The Navy like all the rest of the services is changing. The need for large expensive platforms that can do limited missions is fading quickly into the past. There is no longer any need for a CG 47. Perhaps in the future there might be for a CGN that can stay on station with the CVN’s. Right now the 15-20K haul is no longer needed, the 9.5Kt DD-51’s are replacing it quite nicely. Look to see the FFG replaced by the LCS and the 3–3.5 KT LCS be replaced by the 2–2.5 Kt Corvette.

ALLONS,
Byron Skinner

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